1953? Set of fifteen Olivier "Bon Point" cards, 3" x 2⅜".
When little French kids performed well in school, they got a "Bon Point" card. When they amassed 10 "Bon Points" they could exchange them for a large format image or other prize.
1950? 1 card featuring "The Heron" by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir."
That fish does not seem so small to me! Lovely work again, typical of Mercier.
1950? 1 card featuring "The Heron" by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir."
That snail better watch out!
1950? 1 card featuring FC by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir." $3.55 from Jeannick Brisson, Baignes Sainte Radgonde, France, through Ebay, June, '20.
I recognize Mercier's style immediately from the lovely menus he did for transatlantic ships. I am surprised that there is not a space for listing the pupil's name!
1925? Bon Point Chocolat Corona. Delespaul Havez. 4 small cards About 2" x 2¾". St. Ouen, August, '15.
This series of four cards is among the smaller but more nicely done cards that this collection has. The four images are well done. The picture side of the card includes a fable title at its top, a colored image, and then three lines of advertisement: Bon-Point, Offert par le Chocolat, Delespaul-Hayez." The verso is identical on all four: Chocolat Corona Delespaul Havez: Le Meilleur Chocolat pour votre Gouter. Exigez-Le!!" FS; WL; "The Hare and the Frogs"; and "The Old Woman and Her Two Servant-Girls."
Bon Point Chocolat Corona
1925? Bon Point Chocolat Corona. Delespaul Havez. 4 small cards About 2" x 2¾". St. Ouen, August, '15.
This series of four cards is among the smaller but more nicely done cards that this collection has. The four images are well done. The picture side of the card includes a fable title at its top, a colored image, and then three lines of advertisement: Bon-Point, Offert par le Chocolat, Delespaul-Hayez." The verso is identical on all four: Chocolat Corona Delespaul Havez: Le Meilleur Chocolat pour votre Gouter. Exigez-Le!!" FS; WL; "The Hare and the Frogs"; and "The Old Woman and Her Two Servant-Girls."
1910? One pop-up card showing and exemplifying FG and advertising Au Bon Marché. Printed by J.B. Goosens, Paris. $50 from Eclectibles, Tolland, CT, May, '06.
This is an exquisite pop-up in very good condition. The front card is cut on the lower 75% of the circle enclosing the upper portion of the picture, so that a viewer discovers that the front page opens up. When it does, he or she sees a three-dimensional scene. In the background is the name of Au Bon Marché. In the middle ground is a disgruntled driver of a horse-drawn buggy. In the foreground are two contented passengers in a motor car passing by the horse, wagon, and driver. Beneath the motor car one can then read the words, as though they came from the mouth of the horse-driver: "They are too green, he says." Sour grapes! He did not want to ride that fast anyway! To see how the pop-up works, click on it.
1900? Set of twelve Au Bon Marché La Fontaine cards, 4" x 5 3/8", in oriental style. Printed by J.E. Goossens in Paris and Lille.
These are rich in gold with bright colors and make a strong oriental impression. The front of each, framed in gold, has "Au Bon Marché" at the top and a title and one-line moral at the bottom. On the verso we find again "Au Bon Marché" at the top, followed by a title and the verse fable of La Fontaine. At the bottom is a notice of Gossens and a printer's decoration. I have eight extras; the total number for each card, if greater than one, is indicated in the parentheses.
1900? Set of six mechanical Au Bon Marché La Fontaine cards, 3⅞" x 5⅞" (extended 6"). Printed by Leopold Verger, Paris. €375 for the set from French Antique Collections, July, '22. One extra set a gift of French Antique Collections, July, '22.
The seller offered very helpful information. This set of six comes from the collection of the great grandson of a director of Bon Marché who purchased them new so they were never issued to the public. The six cards are: 1 Le Savatier Et Le Financier; 2 Le Singe Et Le Chat; 3 Les Voleurs Et L'Ane; 4 L'Huitre Et Les Plaideurs; 5 La Cigale Et La Fourmi; 6 La Laitiere Et Le Pot Au Lait. Each card has two views, the second illustrating the moral, with an advertisement for Le Bon Marché on the reverse.
1900? La Fontaine. Six large (almost 6" x 9") cards titled "Au Bon Marché" each with an ornately framed colored image by Maurice Leloir. Paris: E. Barret. 50 Francs each from Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market, August, '99. Extra copies of "La Vielle & les Deux Servantes" and "Le Loup, la Mere & l'Enfant" for the same price from Annick, July, '01.
Each card lists "Au Bon Marché" at the top of the front and back. GA and "Les Deux Pigeons" are translated into entirely human scenes. While the style of the art is not to my taste, the colored printing is lovely on these well preserved cards. The ornate framing of the scene may sometimes be more engaging than the scene! Included are also MM, "L'Asne & le Petit Chien," "Le Loup, la Mere & l'Enfant," and "La Vieille & les Deux Servantes."
1900? Fables de Florian. J.J. Grandville. Eight cards, just over 6¼" x 4½", advertising Au Bon Marché, presenting fables of Florian and illustrated in color by J.J. Grandville. Engraved by H. Demoulin and printed by Draeger Frères. From Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market for about 50 Francs each, August, '99 and July, '01. "Le Linot" for $14 from McIaren Enterprises, Nottingham, England, through Ebay, August, '00. "La Tourterelle et la Fauvette" for €3 at Paris Post Card Exhibit, Jan., '05. Extras of "Les deux Chats," "La Guenon, le Singe et la Noix," and "Le Hibou et le Pigeon," the latter cropped.
Each card lists "Au Bon Marché" at the top of both front and back. The front of the card then presents a delightful Grandville scene, including the usual dressed human animals. Under Grandville's signature is a title for the fable scene and, in parentheses, "Fables de Florian." The back identifies Au Bon Marché as "Maison A. Boucicaut" in Paris, restates "Fables de Florian," and lists the engraver and printer under the full text. A note on the back of one of the cards from Annick indicated that there are six in the series. Now that--having found "Le Linot" and "La Tourterelle et la Fauvette"--I have eight, that remark seems to have been premature. While all the illustrations are done in portrait format, half of the texts are in landscape format.
1890? Two blue hidden picture fable cards presenting MSA and FS. Title and question are written in cursive script. $14 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18.
Each card has a fable title and question within the image portion near the top. "Where is the son?" and "Where is the stork?" There is nothing on the verso. I did not find these easy! In MSA, it is tempting to take the mill, with its resemblance to a human face, as the easy answer. Click on the card to see a bigger version and on "Resolved" to see a solution.
1950? Le Coq et le Renard." Blotter presented by Les Excellentes Gaufrettes Rivoire et Jeandet. "Fables de la Fontaine." $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, Feb., '02.
This blotter seems to be rather an advertisement for a series than a member of it. Apparently Rivoire and Jeandet's wafers come in various kinds of packages, and the latest package is titled "Fables de la Fontaine." The collection comprises 84 images in, as the blotter proclaims, very pretty coloring. The story in the lovely cartoon here is UP. The (fictive?) dog seen by the cock appears on the top of the hill. The climax of the advertisement is classic: "Collect a unique collection of the fables of La Fontaine while enjoying the wafers of Rivoire & Jeandet." As it happens, now, three years later, I have found the full set of 84 cards!
1950? Blotter from Biscottes Soleil d'Or" picturing the fox and crow in vivid colors. $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, May, '05.
In this clever design, the well-dressed fox holds out his high silk hat to catch the cheese when it falls. As in so many cases, this is a "Bon Buvard," a bonus gift that came in a package of "Sun of Gold" cookies.
1970? Blotter from "Aux Arts Ménagers," that is, household arts. Apparently this store offers heating, furniture, paper goods, toys. Saint-Brieuc. Four panels picturing La Fontain's "The Heron." $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, May, '05.
This is one of the simplest French blotters I have found. The four panels trace four stages of the heron's dining day. Together they demonstrate the fate of picky taste! A quick check could not find the store or firm operating any more.
1975? Blotter advertising "Super Biscottes Sablées Saint Honoré" illustrating DW. Green and red on yellow blotter paper. 11¼" x 3⅛". $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, May, '03.
This blotter -- if indeed it is a blotter -- has an unusual size and shape. The cartoon has a dog luxuriating -- on bread cushions? -- and smoking a cigar. "Les biscottes qui honorent votre table!" "Vente reservée a la boulangerie." "Garanties exemptaes de tous produits chimiques." These cookies have everything!
1930? Six large (5½" x 8⅜") colored advertisements for Blédine nutriments offering an illustration and a text for a fable of La Fontaine. $48 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18. Twelve further advertisements for €21.25 through Ebay from Eric Leneuf, Talant, France, July, ’21, including “The Fish and the Shepherd Playing the Flute”; “The Crow Wanting to Imitate the Eagle”; “The Woodcutter and Mercury”; “The Robbers and the Ass”; “The Cook and the Swan”; and “The Lion Subdued by the Man.” Four extras for €11.77 from bill2100 through Ebay, March, ’21. Six extras for €12.41 from chromosetcollections through Ebay, Jan., ’21. Three more extras for €8.75 from maconlection through Ebay, Oct., '22.
Blédine seems to have offered the right food for infants after mother's milk, perhaps something like cream of wheat. They also produced Blécao. These are very nicely colored illustrations. As so often, the French seem to want children to act out their fables, even if they lose some of their meaning in the process. I wonder, for example, if the TB fable does not lose its significance when the "bear" surprising the travelers is a costumed child. The text on some of these pages overflows onto the verso among the advertising. These are not really "cards," either in size or paper stock, but they are closer to trade cards than they are to most advertisements.
